The Pro Chancellor and Chairman Governing Council of Federal University of Technology Babura, Jigawa State, Prof. Oniomawo Ignatius Akhakhira, has pledged to transform the University, into a befitting citadel, working with members of the Council and the Management.
He was responding to the warm welcome address by the Vice Chancellor, Prof. Sabo Ibrahim Birnin Kudu, during the inaugural meeting of the Council, on Tuesday 23rd July, 2024, at the VC’s Committee Room, at the Temporary Campus, in Babura.
The Chairman pledged to harness the power of networking of all the Council members to attract meaningful developments that would positively transform the University, in the same way he was able to transform the Ambrose Alli University, Ekpoma, in Edo State when he served as Vice Chancellor.
“We have come to develop this place, so let us be partners”, he told the inaugural meeting. A Professor of Human Nutrition, Akhakhira, who is currently a VC with Ave-Maria University, recalled that his experience of working with a “good” and “bad” chairman of council as VC has taught him how productive and transformative a “good” chairman can be and he intends to be a model chairman, while also observing best practices. The Pro Chancellor added that Universities run on the Committee Systems, “once we allow the systems to work, there will be no cause to worry.”
Three other external members of the Council at the inaugural meeting were: Dr. Dickson A. O. Akoh, leader of Peace Corps of Nigeria (PCN); Dr. Umma Abdullahi Getso; and Mr. Charles Iwuchukwu, representative of the Federal Ministry of Education.
The other internal members of the council at the meeting were: the Vice Chancellor, Prof. Sabo Ibrahim B/Kudu; the DVC, Prof. Bala Sidi Aliyu; the Registrar and Secretary to the Council, Fatima Binta Mohammed, mni; Prof. Suleiman Yusuf Mudi, Director Academic Planning; Prof. Salisu M. Lawan, Dean of Engineering; Dr. Ya’u Datti, an Associate Professor and Dean Student Affairs; Dr. Abdulaziz Garba Ahmed, HOD Applied Mathematics; and Malam Aliyu H. Salihu, Establishment Secretary. Also in attendance were the Bursar, Ibrahim Alhassan and the University Librarian, Prof. Atiku Abashe Maidabino.
Earlier the Vice Chancellor, Prof. Sabo Ibrahim B/Kudu had congratulated the external members on their appointment, noting that as pioneers, the university is lucky to have people of their calibre to guide the university with their wealth of experience. “We are willing to work with you”, he pledged on behalf of the other members, “ready to tap from your experience to develop our university.”
Prof. Birnin Kudu concluded that running a university is complex, with challenges, “but with will and determination, the Council can convert the challenges into opportunities”. He hoped that the Chairman can repeat the “miracle” of developing Ambrose Alli University, at Babura.
